As gaming machines evolve, they continue to provide new and entertaining ways of presenting gaming content. One conventional way of increasing the entertainment value of casino-style video games, such as video slots, video poker, video black jack, and the like, is to offer a base game and bonus events. A base game includes all game events that contribute to determining and/or indicating the game's primary outcome. For example, in a video slot machine game, the base game includes spinning and stopping the reels to indicate the game's primary outcome.
A bonus event includes one or more game events triggered from the base game. The outcomes of these bonus events are determined and displayed differently than primary outcomes of the base game. These bonus outcomes are determined by either random selection by the gaming machine, or by a combination of player input and random selection by the gaming machine.
One disadvantage of many prior art gaming machines is that players quickly become disinterested in repetitive bonus event content. Another disadvantage of many prior art gaming machines is that they present lengthy bonus events that distract players from base games and diminish the playing experience.